Geraldine Butler-Wright’s advice on how workplaces can help women during menopause

Has your workplace supported you through menopause?

With menopause affecting most women aged between 45-55, the importance of supporting employees experiencing symptoms in the workplace is paramount. This week we spoke to Geraldine Butler-Wright, Chief People and Culture Officer, at Healthily, to find out what workplaces can do to be more supportive. Wright-Butler says that knowledge and education around menopause needs to be improved, and this is currently highlighted within the media and that having expert-led sessions on the subject will help build further understanding;

"Menopause in the workplace is a huge topic within the media at the moment and some of the stories from women are very disheartening to hear. We introduced our policy to not only help support our colleagues that are going through menopause, but to also educate our managers who may not have huge amounts of knowledge on the subject. At healthily we encourage our staff to speak to their line manager, or HR teams if they’re experiencing any of the symptoms of menopause. From this, we can then work together to ensure they are fully supported within their role and have access to everything they need."

She goes on to say that workplaces can help employees with menopause symptoms by providing temperature control and flexible working hours;

"Hot flushes are known to be one of the main symptoms of menopause, therefore having a comfortable office temperature can help, chilled water and desk fans are also a good way to further support. Difficulty sleeping can no doubt impact an individual’s concentration levels throughout the day, and as this is also a common symptom of menopause, encouraging flexible working and a change in hours could really help an individual. Offering reduced hours for a period of time may also be beneficial."

If you feel like you may have started menopause and need advice please contact your local GP or visit menopause.ie.